Stopping numb hands

[Flyingpony]

How do you avoid getting numb and sore hands/wrists on long distance rides?
Feels like pins and needles with an ache thrown in.

What's the proper position style to ride on a sports machine?

Fine for the 15min or so rides around town, it is longer distance rides that give problems.

Thanks,
Horse.

[vifferman]

Make sure you hold the handlebars lightly, and use your legs (knees gripping the tank, if necessary) and abs/back to support yourself, rather than leaning on the bars. The proper position is so that your back has its natural contour (small of your back arched inwards, as though you're pushing your butt and stomach out).

If this doesn't help, and if you have a lot of vibes through the bars, you can get heavier bar-end weights that will help, or take the grips/bar ends off and put sand or lead shot in the bars.

[TonyB]

It may well just be excessive viabration coming through the 'bars. Not much you can do about that except ride in a rev range that doesn't cause too much viabration, or get heavier bar end weights.

OR, it could be that you are holding on too tight. Your hands and arms should be loose. If you can't 'flap' your elbows up and down your hanging on too tight. Also, alwats ride with your arms slightly bent- not locked straight.

Hope that helps.

Edit: Damn- too late

[thehollowmen]

heavy bar weights, or... rubber mounted weights on the end of the bars.

Used to be able to get some wonderful mushroom shaped things that were awesome to reduce vibration.. I nicked a couple and put them on my bow to dampen recoil too... Haven't seen them in years though.

Your frount suspension might be a lil stiff... have you been playing with it?

[Artifice]

also larger handlebar grips helps and heated grips too. (still trying to talk myself into heated grips)

[Groins_NZ]

How do you avoid getting numb and sore hands/wrists on long distance rides?
Feels like pins and needles with an ache thrown in.

What's the proper position style to ride on a sports machine?

Fine for the 15min or so rides around town, it is longer distance rides that give problems.

Thanks,
Horse.

Are they getting numb because of the cold? If so then try some silk liners under your riding gloves. Icebreaker sell Marino liners for $29 and they are worth every penny. Handlebar heaters are also good and might be worth considering if you do a lot of riding in the winter time - especially early morning.

Sore hands... how long have you been riding for? It can take a little time to get your muscles used to riding - especially when going straight into doing long rides. The Sport bike riding position usually results in some additional strain on the wrists because your body posture in more prone compared to being on a more 'upright' bike. It might be a good idea to do some stretches for your wrists, if the discomfort continues after being off the bike i.e. flex your wrist backwards and forwards, holding an even pressure with the opposite hand and count to 5. Do this 3/4 times each wrist but don't over do it - just until you feel the strain. If your feeling sharp pain - then don't go there!

Check to make sure your wrists are straight/level with your forearm, or thereabouts - if your hands are bent upward at the wrist then you're probably leaning on them too much so that's a sign to take some weight off your arms. Use your knees, inner thighs and abs to hold your body up more. You don't have to hold the grips tightly as the bike will steer straight for you (unless something is wrong of course).

On a long ride, shake out your wrists/arms when you get a chance - same as if your at a computer all day (micro pauses). When you stop for a break you can stretch them as per above.

Hope that helps.

[cowpoos]

You could have what I have...carpial tunnel syndrome...I get fingers and parts of my hands go numb...especially when attack mode...

What it is...is the veins that travel throught your lower wrist touch and are pressured by the carpials...small bones that give your wrist the flexability it has...its the wrist version of tennis elbow...and is made worst if you have low blood pressure or smoke.

First....get some larger [as in rounder] hand grips for throttle and the other side...adjust your levers up so you have the shortest possible motion to get to them...rather than reaching around for them...
and also get a tennis ball and sqeeze the living shit out of it when your whatching TV or and the puter...excercise helps with the circulation...
And steching as mentioned earliyer is good to...

[Pathos]

Its because of the bike.

Its pretty bad on the fxr because of the upright posture and low handle bars as it was designed for the malaysian market which is 2 feet shorter. Your posture is actually similar to a crusier not a CBR or FXR rider. But cruisers have higher handlebars so the pressure/weight is comfortably on the back not the wrists.

You just have to try sit up more but this puts more stress on your lower back as you have to force it. If you could get a back support it would be good.

Try use all the wind resistance you can to take the weight off. You'll just have to put up with it until you upgrade.

[Shagg]

The other thing to consider is the gloves.. I have xxl gloves and they still feel slightly too tight against the base of my middle fingers.. and it it those fingers that go numb first... plus when I take off my gloves I can clearly see where the seams are pressing against my hands.. have just bought new gloves with thinner leather to try to aleiviate the problem and will be stretching them in the places I know they are tight... riding with two fingers on the brake or 4 fingers on the brake makes a difference to the glove pressing on the arteries as well.... or on long stretches.. no fingers on the brakes...

cheers

Shagg

[Brains]

Have the odd micro pause, take one hand off the bars at a time and open and close a fist - pull in the clutch when doing your right hand.

[Flyingpony]

Thanks all.

From reading the above posts, my riding position definitely needs some slight adjustments to reduce weight off the wrists by using my back/legs work more. The doctor thinks micro break prescription is necessary too.

Haven't touched the suspension, it's not the cold and gloves, MMm, will slightly loosen the wrist Velcro

I'm also probably too tall but not too heavy for the FXR. Motor might be producing heaps of vibrations.

[Beemer]

I used to suffer from numb/tingly hands and forearms all the time on the RG150. In the beginning I guarantee it was because I lacked confidence and was gripping the bars too tightly, but even once I became more confident I still had the problem on long journeys. I also have cramped hands on the BMW but for some strange reason, I don't have any trouble on the Goose! I still have a little pinched nerve feeling in my right shoulder, but the hands and arms are fine, maybe it's the nakedness (the bike's, not mine...) - the wind keeps the weight of my arms from pressing onto the bars. I did notice my thumbs and index fingers used to suffer the most, even with summer gloves. Whatever it is, I am pleased to no longer have sore hands - it got to the stage where I could hardly pull the clutch in after a few hours riding.

[crashe]

Carpel Tunnel Syndrome is what causes it. See you GP and get them to send you to the hospital for tests. they will tell you straight away if you have it or not. It is worth having the test. Takes a few minutes to do.

The best and quick way of knowing if you do have until tested is this way:
Is your first finger, middle finger and half the ring finger numb and tingling and not the little finger. The nerves are being trapped and have to be released.
The little finger and half the ring finger close to the little finger doesnt get effected by it. Why only half a finger, its something to do with the way the nerves are set up in our fingers.

I had the operation on my right hand over a year ago....

Before that op, when I was riding my right hand went numb and I had no feeling in it after 10kms. Friggin dangerous riding around with no feeling in your hand except your little finger and sometimes your thumb.

Since the operation... sweet as no problems.
Was off the bike for 5 to 6 weeks.
Had heaps of exercises to do after the stitches were removed for the next 8 weeks or so.

Ok to fix the problem temp.
here is a few things that I did and still do.

Stretch your fingers out wide and hold for a few seconds and then squeese into a tight fist. Do that a few times.
Shake your fingers out as well.

If you find it does it at night or even during the daytime..

Put hot water in the sink (as hot as you can stand it) and do the same exercises as above. Honestly this will help relief it.
After my operation I saw a hand therapy physio they deal only in carpel tunnel syndrome. Theymade me put my hand in hot melted wax and then wrap it up in a plastic bag with the wax still on and then in a cloth bag. Until the hand chilled down. It was amazing what I could do with my fingers and hands after that treatment.
It was her that suggested the hot water treatment.
Do the hot water treatment as often as you like in a day.. even last thing at night.
The hot water treatment really works.

Also go to the $2 shop and buy a stress ball and squeese that.
Ring out a flanell, backwards and forwards is another exercise.

[Pathos]

I know I grip the bars too tightly but I'm pretty sure thats caused by the stress put on my wrists because I'm too big for the bike.